2nd case of coronavirus in Ontario confirmed by national lab

A second instance of coronavirus in Ontario has been confirmed by the National Microbiology Lab in Winnipeg, the province's Ministry of Health said Wednesday.

Public Health Ontario first reported the case publicly on Monday, when a test done by provincial authorities came back positive.

The Toronto woman recently travelled to Wuhan, China — the epicentre of the outbreak — with her husband. His was the first confirmed case of the virus in the province.

The pair flew aboard a China Southern Airlines flight from Guangzhou, China, to Toronto.on Jan. 22. The city's chief medical officer said this week that Toronto Public Health has contacted most of the people who sat near the couple on the flight.

The agency has also set up a hotline that anyone who travelled on the flight can call if they have questions or concerns about their condition.

According to its website, which is updated daily, Public Health Ontario is currently investigating 23 cases of possible coronavirus infection.

Meanwhile, health officials in British Columbia say a man in his 40s is presumed to have coronavirus and is doing well as he recovers at home.

There are now more than 6,000 cases reported in China and elsewhere — surpassing the number of people infected during the 2003 SARS outbreak. At last report, Chinese officials said 132 people have died from the virus.

During a news conference later Wednesday, World Health Organization officials said that outside of China, there are a total of 71 cases confirmed in 15 other countries. All but six of those are travel-related, they added.

Global Affairs Canada has said there are 126 Canadians currently seeking the federal government's help to leave the city of more than 11 million people. Canada has not indicated any intention to fly Canadians out of China. It has announced a cutback in consular staff in the country.